another two weeks
by rainmaker271
Summary: Liam is worried about Sarah she hadn't woken up even after he had been up and active for two weeks, he is starting to let his responsibilities slip, and the brotherhood has decided to call him out on it.


Liam didn't want to leave the room, but he hadn't had a smoke since he had lit one up watching the orbital strike collapse the last of those enclave fucks, and that was a week ago. Now Liam wasn't addicted he could an entire day without getting antsy but all things considered he still didn't like going a week without smoking. Not to say he couldn't light one up in the infirmary sawbones and Elder Lyons had told him he could, but old habits die hard, when you spend a year as a vault doctor you kind of get used to that kind of protocol. Plus Liam was a little troubled Sarah hadn't woken up yet which was worrisome. I mean Liam was the one that went into the radiation chamber; Liam was one that had survived by a freak miracle of god. So why had he woke up two weeks ago but Sarah was still comatose? Liam needed to distract himself so he turned on his pip boy radio first to GNR "fear not my poor lost flock for the shepherd from vault 101..." Liam immediately changed it to Agatha's station. Three dog was fun and so was his music but sometimes he got sick of being praised. There was a knocking at the door, "hey Liam." It was Dusk "hey Dusk". There was a lull as Liam turned his radio down but not off. "Have you eaten yet?" Dusk asked. "Yeah Kodiak brought me some pork and beans about an hour ago." Liam responded. "We need to talk." Dusk said. Liam sighed, he had expected this. Turning to face Dusk he briefly noticed she wasn't wearing power armor preferring the more casual recon armor. "What is it Dusk?" Liam could guess what but he had to respond. "You haven't moved from that spot in a week. Why?" Dusk asked. If Liam could pick a flattering title for himself it would be "the man with all the answers" he was a scientific and medical genius, he knew mastered use and maintenance of small guns and energy weapons. His moral compass was also firmly planted he always knew what the right thing to do was. But when Dusk asked why... He didn't know, so he told her "I don't know" the awkward pause that followed was broken by Dusk "go take a smoke break, I'll watch the sentinel" maybe Liam would have objected but as stated earlier he needed to smoke. He walked outside to the courtyard pulled his pack of cigarettes out of his regulator issued duster pulled out his lighter and started to smoke. Liam took this opportunity to think. He had done a lot of that over the last week but not yet while smoking. He thought about the project, the water, the enclave, the raiders, the aliens that gave him the atomizer attached to his hip, and the outcasts that gave him his sword and trench knife. He thought about megaton and it's deactivated bomb, big town and its safety. More than anything he thought of Sarah. He thought of how they met at GNR plaza, he thought of how she gave him a moderately reassuring slap on the shoulder after his dad died (which meant more to him than he'll ever admit), he thought of how they drank together the night before they took back the purifier, he thought of how they fought together on their way to take it back. Mostly he thought about he was perfectly willing to turn on the purifier himself, not because he was suicidal or morally sound, but because he didn't want Sarah to die. As Liam finished his cigarette he came to the conclusion that he did know why didn't move for a week, He just wasn't going to tell anyone. When Liam entered the infirmary again he found Elder Lyons talking to Dusk, Liam was curious so he didn't announce his presence. "What did you get out of him?" Elder Lyons inquired. "He said he didn't know." Dusk responded. "Do you believe him?" The elder pressed. "I believe that he believes he doesn't know, but I don't believe that he doesn't actually know. You know?"  
"No" said Lyons, bearing a look that implies a migraine,  
"Sometimes our brains know things but our hearts don't, sometimes our hearts know things out brain doesn't. Before the battle for the purifier when Sarah was trying to convince you to send the pride in, that was her heart talking and you responded with your brain. I believe that Liam knows in his heart why he stands vigil over Sentinel Sarah but I also think his brain doesn't." With that in mind Liam walked out of the room and then back in this time knocking on the door. "Elder Lyons." He greeted putting his right hand to his chest. "Knight Liam." The elder responded. "I'll take my leave." Dusk said slightly awkwardly as she left the room. "We all owe a great deal of debt to you knight, but I must insist that you either tell me why you are standing vigil over my daughter or get to work." Elder Own said. "Is that an order, sir?" Liam said almost daring the old man to try "yes" the elder responded steadily. Liam didn't want to answer that particular question so he decided to delay answering, "I believe I have the right to inquire why you have issued that particular order sir." The elder sighed before answering "We are busy, and we need your help, you have spent the last week being a waste of space and a drain on resources, we owe you a great deal, but then again so do the people of the wasteland and you don't see us moping around, now maybe you have your reasons for standing vigil and maybe you don't. Now this is also an order either explain to me why you have sat there for a week, leave, or report to paladin Tristan for a mission." Liam thought, he had his reasons for staying but he wanted to keep them to himself, he wanted to be there when Sarah woke, he wanted to hug her and say how glad he was she was fine, but he couldn't explain himself, and for now he wanted to focus on the wastes…not the city. "I'll leave just give me five minutes." Liam said with only small amounts of resentment. The elder left the room. Liam knelt next to Sarah; he gently rubbed her check then kissed it, then whispered "I love you." Into her ear. Then he left. He said see you later to gallows, gave Kodiak a slap on the shoulder, and shook the hand of Dusk. As he passed by the gates of the citadel he lit another cigarette and took a drag. He looked up at the sky above him, he didn't want to leave but the needs of the waste went before his own. It was another two weeks before Sarah woke up, and another three before he saw her again, and unlike the reunion he had planned, this one involved only a smile and a handshake before repelling a super mutant ambush.


End file.
